HC not satisfied with CBI report on benami flats in Adarsh

Mumbai, Sept 1 (PTI) The Bombay High Court today said itis not satisfied with a report filed by CBI in response to apublic interest litigation alleging allotment of ‘benami’flats to government officials and politicians in thecontroversial Adarsh housing society in south Mumbai. "We are not satisfied with the report…It seems thereis non-application of mind by the agency in respect of issuesraised in the petition," said a bench headed by Justice AbhayOka after reading the report, submitted in a sealed cover. The judges directed the agency to file an additionalreport by September 28, and asked the Joint Director of CBI,Western Zone to remain present on the next occasion. The PIL, filed by the activist Praveen Wategaonkar,alleged that some top government officials and politiciansheld ‘benami’ (by proxy) flats in Adarsh building, which was aquid-pro-quo for clearing the files related to the buildingwhich violated several norms. Wategaonkar has sought disclosure of names of two topofficers of the Maharashtra government who had dealt withAdarsh files and allegedly obtained benami flats. He has claimed that CBI, when it arrested one of thepromoters of Adarsh society, Kanhaiyalal Gidwani in 2011, it"claimed in the remand papers that they needed Gidwani’scustody because he held benami flats for political leaders". Gidwani, a Congress leader, and his family members owneda total of 10 flats in Adarsh. His sons owned three flatswhile in respect of other flats, the source of money and realownership was not clear, the PIL has said. It has alleged that two of these flats were meant forhigh-profile members of the government who helped clear theAdarsh files, and two others for prominent politicians.Gidwani passed away in 2012. (More) PTI SVS KRKSCRDS